Top for trucks and the like



Sept. S, 1938.

s. F. WALDEN 2,129,893

TOP FOR TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 29MW/fg/q Sept 13, 1933- s. F. WALDEN 2,129,893

TOP FOR TRUCKS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 18, 1936 2. Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UMTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to tops for trucks or like vehicles whichcomprise a canopy or tilt, and the object is to provide a simple,eiiicient and readily manipulable device capable of a wide range ofadjustment to a multiplicity of positions to meet the varying demands ofuse, such capability adapting it more particularly to the requirementsof military use although not limiting it in any way thereto.

My invention will be well understood by reference to the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, where-1n:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truck having a l5 body constructionillustrative of the invention showing the parts in one position ofadjustment;

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the parts in another position ofadjustment;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged broken detail in side elevation; and

Fig. 4 is a partial transverse section on a smaller scale.

Referring to the drawings, I have-there shown a truck having a wagon-box6 which in the eX- ample shown is of a box-like form in the popularsense of that word, having an open top adapted to be covered over bythecanopy or tilt. On the sides of the wagon-box at the front and rearends thereof and remote from the rear wheel housing 8 I may securesockets I0 preferably in the form of open-ended rectangular tubes inwhich telescope for vertical sliding movement therein posts i2 whichlikewise may be in the form of rectangular tubes and which, throughsuitable bracket fittings i4, support longitudinal rails i6 parallelingthe sides of the wagon body. To provide for vertical adjustment of therails the sockets lil may be provided with suitable holes i6 and theposts i2 each (see Fig. 4) with a series of holes 20 adapted to matetherewith in diierent positions of elevation of the post relative to itssocket and a removable pin 22 passing through the holes I8 may engageone or another of the holes Z. I also prefer to provide a set screw 2iin the wall of socket lil to be set up against post I2 to secure it rmlyin position and avoid any rattling. By virtue of the adjustment thusprovided the rails I6 may be supported either in a lower position, shownin Fig. 1, closely adjacent and paralleling the sides of the wagon-box,or in one or more elevated positions, such as that illustrated in Fig.2.

The rails I6 support the tilt-supporting bows 25 which (see Fig. 4) havesubstantially parallel leg portions adapted to straddle the rails I 6and the box 6. These legs work in vertical sockets formed in fittings 28adapted to slide along the rail as described in my Patent No. 1,679,642,dated August 7, 1928, to which reference may be made for a fullerdescription of these parts. As 5 described in this patent, the bows maybe vertically adjusted by sliding the legs in the tting and they areretained in one or more of a series of adjusted positions by means of aretaining pin carried by the fitting and engaging one 1'0 or another ofa series of vertically spaced holes Sil in the post (Fig. 4).

In the elevated position of the rails I 6, as shown in Fig. 2, the tilthas a number of positions of vertical adjustment corresponding to thenumber i1'5 of openings 30 provided and it may be either extended asshown in that ligure to cover the length of the wagon-box or collapsedby a relative sliding movement of the bows to uncover more or less ofthe wagon-box. By the movement of the (20 posts I2 in the sockets l anadjustment is also provided independent of the adjustment of the bowsvertically on the rails I6. In particular there is thus provided theextreme low position shown in Fig. 1 wherein only substantially the 25curved portions of the bows project above the sides of the wagon-box. Inall positions ofthe bows they may be either collapsed together orextended so that the tilt covers the box. In Fig. 1 I have shown thebows collapsed together but 30 they might be drawn out to the samerelative hori- Zontal spacing, as illustrated in Fig. 2. For militaryuse it is desirable to have the silhouette of the truck as low aspossible. When unloaded'it may be desirable to cover it with branches or35 other camouflage, and such concealment is facilitated by theprovision of bringing the parts to the position of Fig. 1.

While the construction shown provides a Wide range of verticaladjustment, the legs of the bows 40 are nevertheless relatively short.This not only makes them light and wieldy but permits their movement toand in the position of Fig. 2 without interference from ,any chassiselements located adjacent the rear axle. On the other hand, 45 the postsi2, as shown in Fig. 1, move into free spaces at the ends of thewagon-box but have a relatively limited range of movement as comparedwith the range of movement of the tilt as a whole so that they do not atany time project to 50 an objectionable degree below the licor of thebox.

The canvas cover or tilt 32 is supported by the bows 26. In Fig. 2 Ihave shown one side of this cover as reefed or furled. It will beunderstood that the edges of the cover should be capable of 5 5extending over the sides of the wagon-box 6 in the most elevatedposition of the former, the edges being secured by tie ropes 34 in theusual manner. To dispose of the marginal portions of the cover when inthe lower positions o1" adjustment and also to permit reeng up one orboth sides in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, I may dispose above thepoints of attachment of the tie ropes 34 grommets 36, the spacing ofwhich conveniently corresponds to the intervals of .adjustment providedin the supporting mechanism. 'The tie ropes may be reeved through thegrommets in the manner of earings to draw the margin up to the line ofthe grommets and to serve as gaskets for furling and securing theresulting bunt as illustrated in Fig. 2. In lowered positions of the topthe ends of the tie ropes remain available to secure the thus furledmargins to the sides of the wagon-box in the usual manner.

Referring to Fig, 3, the supporting pin 22 is here shown as forming theshank of a socket wrench 38 adapted to fit the head of set screw 24 andthis wrench is connected by a flexible chain 40 to a collar 42 rotatablyfixed to the set screw 24. In adjusting the post Ill the shank 22 of thewrench may be used as a lining uppin. Then normally the screw 24 wouldbe set up finger-tight, after which the pin could be withdrawn and thewrench used to set up the screw, after which theshank'22 would bereturned in position to support the post under strains of travel. Whilethe scope of the chain 40 provides freedom for manipulation of theparts, loss is prevented even in the example shown wherein they aremerely connected together since the pin and the set screw will never innormal use be removed at the same time.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specic formswithout departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and Itherefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respectsas illustrative and not restrictive; reference being had to the appendedclaims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scopeofthe invention.

I claim: 1. A body construction for trucks and like vehicles comprisinga box, tubular sockets at the sides of the box, posts vertically movablein the sockets, longitudinal rails carried by the posts, means forfixing the posts in a plurality of adjusted positions to support therails at substantially diierent elevations from the oor of the body,tilt-supporting bows of a width to span the box having parallel legportions and fittings supported by the rails in which said leg portionstelescope and means for securing the bows in a plurality ofsubstantially differing positions of vertical adjustment in said ttings.

2. A body construction for trucks and like vehicles comprising a box,tubular sockets at the sides of the box, posts vertically movable in thesockets, longitudinal rails carried by the posts, means for fixing theposts in a plurality of adjusted positions to support the rails atsubstantially different elevations from the oor of the body,tilt-supporting bows of a width to span the box having parallel legportions and fittings supported by the rails for longitudinal slidingmovement therealong, in which ttings said leg portions telescope andmeans for securing the bows in a plurality of substantially differingpositions of vertical adjustment in said fittings.

3. A body construction for trucks and like vehicles comprising a box,tilt-supporting bows of a width to span the box having parallel legs,longitudinal rails extending along the sides of the box, means forsupporting said rails adjustable to position them in a plurality ofsubstantially diiering vertical positions, ttings slidable along saidrails to provide for extension of the tilt over the box or collapsethereof, said ttings having means for supporting the legs of the bowswith provision for vertical sliding movement thereof relative to therail and permitting the disposition of the ends of the legs outward ofthe sides of the box and below said rails, and means for supporting thebows in a plurality of substantially different positions of verticaladjustment in the fittings whereby a total range of vertical adjustmentof the tilt for any position of longitudinal extension or collapsethereof is provided substantially in excess of the length of the legs ofthe bows withf out interference with portions of the vehicle adjacentthe lower portion of the box.

STANLEY F. WALDEN.

